Ἡ Νέα Διαθήκη τοῦ Κυρίου καὶ Σωτῆρος ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, μεταφρασθεῖσα εἰς τὴν σημερινὴν τῶν Ἑλλήνων διάλεκτον, δι’ ἀδείας τῆς Ἀνατολικῆς Ἐκκλησίας, μετατυπωθεῖσα δ’ ἀπαραλλάκτως ἀπὸ τὴν Βιβλικὴν Ἑταιρείαν τῆς Γενεύης, πρὸς χάριν τῶν Ἑλλήνων [The New Testament of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, translated into modern Greek with the permission of the Eastern Church, reprinted unaltered by the Geneva Bible Society, for the benefit of the Greeks]. Geneva, Pierre-Antoine Bonnant, 1831.

8vo, pp. [4] + 428 + [2]. Printed in Greek throughout, text in 2 columns, wood-engraved vignette on title (the emblem of the Greek State under Kapodistrias: The Reborn Phoenix). Contemporary Swiss romantic binding, black diced calf tooled in gilt and blind, central elongated lozenge, spine gilt in compartments, watered silk lining, gilt edges. Inscription to Kapodistrias lettered in gilt on upper free silk endpaper: HOMMAGE / A S[ON] E[XCELLENCE] / M[ONSIEU]R LE COMTE / CAPO D’ISTRIAS / PAR S[ON] T[RÈS] S[INCÈRE] S[ERVITEUR] / H. N. GLASER.

This edition of the New Testament, which provides the translation into modern Greek by Hilarion Sinaites, was printed on behalf of the Geneva Bible Society in 15,000 copies for distribution to the schools of Greece. The present copy was presented to Ioannis Kapodistrias by the Society’s envoy, H. N. Glaser, in August 1831, shortly before his assassination.
Ioannis Kapodistrias (1776-1831) was a transformative leader who sacrificed a prestigious European career to build the foundations of the modern Greek state. Serving as the first Governor of Greece from 1828 to 1831, he inherited a nation devastated by war and successfully organized its administration, economy, and education. He was known for his deep faith and support for the dissemination of the Scriptures.